Secret Rapture – Fact or Fallacy

1 1 Secret Rapture fact or Fallacy ? Is there really a Secret Rapture with a second chance of salvation? Regardless of the topic when it is associated with salvation, Satan has deceptions in every area in an attempt to steal as many people as possible from God s kingdom. It is a grave error to underestimate the enemy. It does not matter how many people believe a lie, it will never make it truth. Mark Twain once said, A lie can travel halfway around the world, while truth puts on its shoes. The only way to avoid the enemy s deception and find truth is to study the scriptures diligently. Multitudes of people have been exposed to this dispensationalist or futurist interpretation of prophecy and have been utterly confused. So what is the real truth? What is the Secret Rapture theory? According to those teaching this theory, the coming of Jesus will be in two separate stages.

2 The first will be a Secret Rapture of the Church at the beginning of a supposed seven year tribulation period followed by a glorious, triumphant return of Christ to the Earth accompanied by the Church at the end of the seven year period. They believe that during this seven year period the Antichrist is going to come into power and God will select and seal 144,000 literal Jews who will take the Gospel to the whole world converting immeasurable souls to Christ. They also believe the great battle of Armageddon is a literal national war against literal Israel, which occurs near the end of the seven years and is brought to a halt by Christ s return with His Church. Then literal Israel accepts the Lord as the Messiah and enters with Him as His covenant people into the 1,000 year (millennial) reign on earth known as the Kingdom Age.

3 Christ will rule directly over the earth from the throne of David in Jerusalem, where the typical temple services function again. Those who ultimately reject Christ s rule are eventually judged and destroyed at the end of the Millennium. The new believers will then receive immortality and eternity will begin. However, the Bible nowhere speaks of these two separate comings and the word Rapture is also an invention of theologians and occurs nowhere in the Bible. The deception does not stop there, Christians also debate whether we will be taken before the tribulation or in the middle of the seven years or at the completion of the seven year tribulation. These are called pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post tribulation. Now for the most amazing part of these views in regards to the seven year tribulation period; are you ready for this?

4 It was manufactured by a Jesuit Priest who was commissioned to come up with this false interpretation of Bible Prophecy. This raises many questions, such as why was this done and how could so many be drawn into this lie. I hope you will read on as we cover all aspects of this topic and reveal the Bible truth. Does the Bible teach there is a Secret Rapture ? This is a brief point by point account of the order of events according to Scripture; there is Christ s second coming, the resurrection, the catching up of the saints to meet Jesus in the air which all take place at the same time and at the end of the world. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 28:20 ..and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Why would Jesus promise to be with the Church until the end of the world if He intended to come seven years before the end to take them out of the world?

5 The promise would then have no meaning. This false doctrine on the Secret Rapture is contradictory to the words of Jesus in Matthew 13 when He said the wheat and tares would grow together until the end of the world and then would be separated. According to this dual coming Rapture theory, both groups would not grow together until the end of the world. The righteous would be separated from the wicked seven years before the end. And what about the promise of the resurrection? Christ said, concerning the righteous, John 6:40 ..and I will raise him up at the last day. No one denies that this means the last day of the world. Paul declares the saints are caught up to meet the Lord at the same time the dead in Christ are raised. He says, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

6 Did you note that Jesus called this resurrection the last day? But how could it be the last day if this gathering of the saints takes place seven years before the end of the world? And how could the last trump (see 1 Corinthians 15:52 below) sound if it really wasn t the very last moment of time? Imagine the graves opening and the righteous rising and no one knowing that it had occurred? Consider also the added testimony from God s Word; 2 Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

7 (This is clearly the time when Christ comes to gather His saints.) 1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 6:16-17 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? There is no understood scripture that says the second coming of Christ to gather His saints will be a Secret Rapture . All these verses show it will be a very loud and very visible event that every eye shall see.

8 There is nothing Secret about any aspect of His coming. Those believing this false doctrine sometimes quote Matthew 24:40-41 out of context. The entire passage reads; Matthew 24:37-41 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Jesus is demonstrating the parallels between the days of Noah and the second coming of Christ. The eight that entered Noah s Ark were saved and those that scoffed perished as the flood took them all away.

9 Many have been taught that the ones taken are the ones saved but note it is actually the ones taken that are destroyed. There was no second chance. Jesus said and so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. The last verse of this chapter tells us what will happen to those who are taken to destruction. Matthew 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Those believing in the Secret Rapture also quote Jesus in saying He will come as a thief in the night, meaning it will be Secret . Jesus said in Matthew 24:43-44 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

10 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Jesus is not talking about coming secretly but coming unexpectedly when we least expect Him and so the wicked will be taken by surprise. This is why Jesus tells us to be ready as we know not the hour of His return. Those who are not right with Christ and living wickedly when Jesus returns we will be taken to destruction as in the days of Noah. See Matthew 24:37-41 above. See also 2 Thessalonians 2:8. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 is also quoted which reads, For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Same message as before be ready for Christ s unexpected return. And what happens after His return? 1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.